Staring carefully at the book, Shyla raised her brow as it snapped shut on its own. Slowly, the pattern on the front began to shift, revealing a hidden cavity. From within, a locket emerged: a crystal glowing deep red, concealed all this time in the heart of the book.
It looked magnificent. Breath-taking.
"Wow… that's beautiful," Shyla whispered, the words slipping out before she realized.
The locket landed squarely in her palm. "Third Master, I am Leo: your guide to the world."
Shyla was taken aback by the revelation. "Now—for what? I need a guide?" she asked, incredulous.
"For your world, Third Master." There was weight in Leo's tone; he didn't want to lose his patience again.
"Leo… am I an alien? Will the government take me for experiments?" The question sent a chill down her spine.
Leo chuckled, a mischievous glint in his eyes as a wicked idea crossed his mind. "Maybe, Master, they're already on their way to take you. Should you hide in the sky… or down in hell?" His words ended in a teasing laugh.
Shyla's face twisted, caught between embarrassment and annoyance. Before she could stop herself, her innocent mind betrayed her. "I… I guess in the sky. But how is that even possible?" she asked softly.
Leo's expression darkened. His voice dropped, heavy and sharp. "Die — and become a star."
The words cracked through the room like a war statement. An ugly silence followed, pressing against the walls. Shyla's breath stilled as the weight of what Leo had said finally sank in.
"You ugly locket — I hate you. You die; your whole family dies. Why would I die? "This time Shyla couldn't hold back her tears.
"I was just teasing. You can't be such a crybaby…" Panic crept into Leo's voice. "I'm not used to having a crybaby master, so stop crying."
Hearing him, Shyla blinked, swallowed a sob, and slowly stopped crying.
"So, what am I?" Shyla demanded.
"This master of mine is quite dumb," Leo thought. Out loud he said, "My master… I will sleep now. You should too. You must be ready for the Sunday. Good night."
And with that, Shyla was left alone in the room, shouting at empty air while Leo ignored her completely.
She clenched her fists; certain the locket was deliberately avoiding her question. It wasn't forgetfulness — it was refusal.
The silence pressed in on her, heavy and deliberate. Shyla clenched the bedsheet in her fists. He's hiding something. He knows what I am… and he won't tell me.
Her pulse quickened. How does he know about Sunday? And why did Leo seem more nervous than she was?
The locket glowed faintly on the bedside, like a watchful eye refusing to blink.
With the question unsaid, she had no energy left; eyes closed, she drifted to sleep.
Leo, on the other hand, was a tangle of confusion. What should I say to her? he thought. She is fated to die. He sighed. Only if she ends with him can she survive. But will she? Then something clicked; his tone changed. She's dumb, he thought bitterly — vampires can read minds, so why was she asking who she was? UFF!Am I stuck with a stupid master this time?" I don't think Lord Nickolas will spare her a glance," he muttered. But she'll die if she doesn't marry him. What should he do? Is this his last mission?
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TOMMOROW MORNING:
Shyla woke up with the locket still glowing faintly on the bedside. The sunlight streamed in, but her eyes didn't focus; all she could think about was Leo.
"Last night… was all of that real? Or just a dream? That locket… that voice…" Her hands instinctively reached for it, and the crystal beeped lightly, almost like it was alive.
"Don't touch me, brat," Leo's voice teased in her mind. Shyla jumped, startled, then realized it was the locket. She shivered. "How… how is this even possible?"
She tried to get out of bed, but the weight of last night's revelations pressed down on her chest. Her thoughts spun uncontrollably over the thoughts she heard vividly before sleep: "Third Master… Sunday… fated to die… marry someone? Lord Nickolas? What the hell is happening to me?!"